


Sitting in a Tin Can

by smithapple



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Completely fictionalized science, M/M, Manned Mars mission, Obvious Martian references, References to David Bowie, Space Stucky
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 08:00:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5367572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smithapple/pseuds/smithapple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Steve Rogers and Sergeant James "Bucky" Barnes are life long friends, fulfilling a life long dream of being members of the first manned mission to Mars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sitting in a Tin Can

**Author's Note:**

> A friend asked/demanded that I write some Space Stucky, so I am. Like everything I do, this will be largely fluffy. References to space movies (especially The Martian) will be heavy handed. David Bowie will be a recurring theme, mainly because Bucky is a bit of a shit. Periodically there will be actual science. 
> 
> Songs referenced or any unusual acronyms will be noted at the end of each chapter. 
> 
> Updates for this story may be sporadic until the new year as I finish my Christmas fic.

The first manned mission to Mars has become something of a cause celebre in the States. Most of the country was excited to be leading the charge on such a historical mission. Some of the more conservative factions thought it was a waste of tax dollars that, presumably, should be spent on guns and the like. Still others were largely indifferent to the entire thing. The only aspects of the Nerio Mission that captivated the country as a whole were the media’s newest darlings, Captain Steve Rogers and Sergeant James “Bucky” Barnes.

It was hard to find a person who didn’t at least know the basics of their story: they grew up together in Brooklyn, served in the Army together, went to Columbia together, got into NASA together, and finally got recruited to go to Mars together. It was an unlikely string of events. Suspicions arose that they were both picked for the mission more as a publicity stunt than on their individual merits. After the first few interviews with the duo, people stopped caring why they were there and starting caring more about what they were doing on a day to day basis.

Captain Rogers had an exemplary military record. His promotion through the ranks was quick, but universally agreed to be well earned. The unit he led, dubbed The Howling Commandos, became the Army’s elite extraction team. He was know as a master strategist and to be unflappable on the battlefield.  

Doing media was a different story. Rogers was unfailingly polite and earnest. Even the most cynical people felt a twinge of national pride watching him talk about the potential of America. But he never seemed comfortable on camera, saying more than once that the countless interviews caused him a much greater level of anxiety than the idea of leading a crew of eight to Mars. Rogers was regarded as an upstanding young man whose intelligence and stoicism made him exactly the kind of guy you wanted leading a dangerous, historical mission. He would have come across as almost too perfect and serious if it weren’t for his relationship with Barnes.

Sergeant Barnes’s military service ended when, as he said, “left an arm in Afghanistan so the kids would have something to remember me by.” He was the recipient of an experimental prosthetic provided by Stark Industries. It was decided that prosthetics made to be fully functional for nuanced movement, able withstand the physical demands of extreme g forces, and work just as well in zero gravity were something to be pursued as commercial space travel became a reality. Barnes was put through extensive testing and a stay on the ISS before he was deemed fit for the Nerio Mission. His placement on the crew was a breakthrough technologically, and more importantly in his mind, for people with disabilities.

Barnes, unlike Rogers, seemed made to be on television. He was easy going, quick with a smile, funny, charming, and had mastered the art of the well timed wink. Videos began to appear on YouTube with titles like “Reports Falling in Love w/Bucky Barnes - Compilation”. Barnes managed to remain just on the right side of being respectful while still flirting outrageously with anyone he encountered. Captain Rogers spent a lot of time during interviews turning red, covering his face with his hands, and trying not to laugh. If you had the sound up, you could often hear him mumbling “oh my god, Buck!” The embarrassment of his friend only spurred him on. Barnes was a natural storyteller and was happy to regale anyone who would listen with tales of “Stevie’s and my misspent youth.” There were two things that kept the populace from being nervous about sending Barnes into space. One was his obvious brilliance when answering mission specific questions. The second was the complete and total trust Rogers put in him.

They were sitting through yet another interview with CNN. This time it was Fareed Zakaria’s turn to ask them questions. Rogers gave him some credit, his questions about the significance of the mission worldwide were well thought out and researched, but things had veered into “what will you eat” territory. He let Barnes take over and began to fidget in his seat, wishing people would focus on the science more. He listened to his crewmate explain that nutrition was the primary concern when it came to food but, the fact was, most of their meals tasted like they had vaguely heard of things like chicken pot pie before. Rogers began to zone out. It wasn’t until he heard, “So basically, we sleep exactly like vampires! It’s awesome!” that he snapped to attention. His his head shot up and he turned to look at Barnes, a mixture of horror and amusement on his face. It was exactly the kind of moment between friends the press ate up. He had no doubt that one would end up being gif’d ad nauseum.

When they finally got in the car to go back to their Atlanta hotel, Rogers slumped down in the seat. Barnes knew interviews took a lot out of his friend. This was a man who sustained 12 g’s without G-LOC for long enough that the NASA engineers freaked out and shut down the centrifuge. They had never seen anyone last that long before and figured Rogers has proved his point. His answer when Barnes asked him how he was feeling when he got out was, “Kind of dizzy and slightly flattened.” He then went down to the cafeteria and inhaled three cheeseburgers, fries, and a slice of pie. Twenty minutes under studio lights, however, reduced him to an exhausted shell of himself for the rest of the day.

“One more week and the press stuff stops, Stevie. Then it’s all mission,” Barnes tried to reassure him.

“I know, Buck. Thanks. I hate this stuff. It feels like no one cares about the actual work, they just want to know frivolous nonsense about what kind of toothpaste you use in space and shit.”

Barnes began to sing, “ _And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear.._ ”

“Don’t sing that! Christ, of all the songs,” Rogers cut him off.

“Since when do you not like a little Bowie?”

Rogers looked him in the eye. “Major Tom dies, Bucky.”

Try as he might, Barnes couldn’t stop himself from laughing at how serious his friend looked. “Oh my god, is this like saying ‘Macbeth’ in a theater or something?”

“I’m just saying, David Bowie has plenty of space related songs that don’t involve death, so I don’t see the need to sing that one.” Rogers was pouting now, which wasn’t helping Barnes calm down.

In an attempt to avoid contact, which he knew would send him into another fit of laughter, Barnes began to fiddle with his phone. He asked the driver for the USB plug so he could play some music. Once everything was set up, he hit play. A few piano notes filled the car before a voice began.

 

_It’s a God-awful small affair_

_To the girl with the mousy hair_

 

Rogers crossed his arms and huffed, “You’re an asshole, you know that right?” Barnes replied by singing along and turning the volume up.

 

_But her mummy is telling her no_

_And her daddy has told her to go_

 

Rogers turned his head so his friend wouldn’t see the smile he was fighting. He rolled down the window hoping the highway noise would drown out the music. Barnes responded by rolling down his window as well and cranking the volume.

Captain Steve Rogers knew he was losing this battle. By the time Bowie hit the chorus, he and Barnes were both singing along at the top of their lungs out the windows to the cars that passed, laughing as people realized what was happening and fumbled for their phones. Which is how by the time they got back to their hotel, a video had gone viral of the world’s two most famous astronauts with their heads out a car window singing:

 

_Oh man wonder if he’ll ever know_

_He’s in the best selling show_

_Is there life on Mars?_

**Author's Note:**

> G-LOC: G-forced induced loss of consciousness
> 
> The title and the first Bowie song Bucky sings is from "Space Oddity". The second is "Life on Mars?".
> 
> I'm on [Tumblr](http://secret-blog-of-secrets.tumblr.com/). Come say hi!


End file.
